FAQs on Belt Conveyors and Other Bulk Material Handling Equipment

Drawing on years of experience in international projects, ZOOMRY has compiled the following FAQs addressing high-frequency industry questions to provide professional references for global customers. For quick reference, please refer to the FAQ table at the end of the article.

I. Common Belt Types and Selection for Belt Conveyors

1. Steel Cord Conveyor Belt (ST): Boasts the highest tensile strength among all belt types and can withstand ultra-large tension. Suitable for long-distance, high-capacity conveying scenarios such as cross-regional bulk material transportation projects, it is the preferred belt type for large-scale industrial projects worldwide;
2. Fabric Ply Conveyor Belt (EP/NN/CC): Features a core layer made of polyester (EP), nylon (NN), or cotton canvas (CC) with relatively high elongation. It is widely recognized in the international industry as suitable for medium and short-distance belt conveyors within 300m, offering significant cost-performance advantages;
3. Solid Woven Conveyor Belt (PVC/PVG): Possesses excellent flexibility and airtightness. The PVC type is suitable for normal temperature environments without flame-retardant requirements, while the PVG type meets flame-retardant and anti-static needs. Widely used in special environments such as underground mines, it complies with international mine safety standards;
4. Aramid Fabric Core Conveyor Belt (DPP): Utilizes high-strength aramid fibers as the core material, offering lightweight and outstanding wear resistance. However, due to its high cost, it has limited applications globally and is only suitable for special working conditions with strict equipment weight restrictions.

In addition, based on international industrial demands, ZOOMRY's belts can be customized with special properties such as wear resistance, cold resistance, heat resistance, and flame retardancy: Wear-resistant type is suitable for abrasive materials such as ore and coal; Cold-resistant type can operate stably in low-temperature environments below -40℃, adapting to projects in high-latitude regions; Heat-resistant type can withstand temperatures above 120℃, meeting the requirements of high-temperature material transportation in the metallurgy and building materials industries; Flame-retardant type is certified by relevant international standards such as MT/T 147-2011, making it an essential choice for underground conveying.

II. What Are the Types of Conveyor Galleries?

In newly-built bulk material conveying projects worldwide, fully enclosed galleries have become the mainstream choice. They not only effectively prevent material dust emission and rain erosion, complying with international environmental protection requirements but also protect equipment from external environmental corrosion, extending service life. The truss structures of galleries are mainly divided into three types: upper-opening type, lower-opening type, and integrated type:

• Upper-opening truss: Easy to construct with sufficient maintenance space, it is the most widely used type in international projects currently;
• Lower-opening truss: Has a low global application rate due to easy material accumulation during transportation and poor maintenance accessibility;
• Integrated truss: Adopts an integrally formed design, featuring high load-bearing capacity, light structural weight, and good stability. It can adapt to complex terrain and long-span requirements, and its application in large-scale projects in Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and other regions has gradually increased in recent years.

The enclosure materials of galleries usually adopt a combination of profiled color steel plates and lighting panels. Profiled color steel plates have high strength and good waterproof performance, while lighting panels can utilize natural light to reduce lighting energy consumption in the gallery, aligning with the global trend of green industrial development. For projects in marine climates or chemical industries with high anti-corrosion requirements, fluorocarbon-coated color steel plates are also used to enhance the material's corrosion resistance.

III. Width Standards for Inspection Passages and Walkways in Conveyor Galleries

In accordance with relevant ISO standards and universal global industry specifications, the widths of inspection passages and walkways in conveyor galleries must meet the requirements of safe operation and maintenance: The minimum clear width of the inspection passage shall not be less than 500mm to ensure maintenance personnel can pass smoothly with tools; The minimum clear width of the walkway shall not be less than 700mm, adapting to normal personnel walking and emergency evacuation.

In actual project design, ZOOMRY will optimize based on factors such as the customer's equipment maintenance frequency and personnel traffic needs: For galleries with dense large-scale equipment, the passage width will be appropriately increased to 800-1000mm; Evacuation spaces will be set at key locations such as bends and equipment interfaces to further improve operational safety, fully complying with international safety certification requirements such as EU CE and US ANSI.

IV. What Is the Reasonable Range of Conveyor Turning Radius?

The turning radius of a conveyor depends on belt width, belt tension, turning angle, operating environment, etc.:

• The ideal turning radius of a conventional belt conveyor is 1000 times the belt width. For example, a belt conveyor with a 1m width should have a turning radius greater than 1000m to ensure uniform stress on the belt during turning and avoid deviation and wear;
• As an enclosed conveying equipment, the pipe conveyor has higher requirements for turning radius: The turning radius of fabric ply pipe conveyors must be greater than 400 times the pipe diameter, while that of steel cord pipe conveyors must be greater than 800 times the pipe diameter to ensure the stability of pipe forming;
• Although ZOOMRY has successful cases of small-radius turning projects, achieving small-radius conveying through technical means such as special idler group design and belt material optimization, it is still recommended to maximize the turning radius when site conditions permit from the perspectives of equipment life, operating energy consumption, and maintenance costs to reduce operational risks.

V. How to Set Safety Exits in Enclosed Galleries and Tunnels?

The setting of safety exits in enclosed galleries (trestles) and tunnels must strictly comply with international safety standards to ensure personnel evacuation safety in emergencies. According to ISO and relevant national standards:

• Enclosed trestles and tunnels must be equipped with safety exits on the walkway side. The exit forms can include evacuation doors, ladders, or passage interfaces to ensure unobstructed evacuation paths;
• The maximum distance between safety exits shall not exceed 150m to ensure personnel can quickly reach a safe area in emergencies;
• If continuous safety exits cannot be set in the tunnel due to factors such as geological conditions and construction difficulty, personnel shelters can be installed. The size of the shelter must accommodate at least 2 people for refuge, and it shall be equipped with emergency lighting, ventilation equipment, and communication devices, complying with international emergency rescue standards.

VI. Reasonable Design Range of Conveyor Gallery Span

The span design of a conveyor gallery needs to comprehensively consider multiple factors such as project environment, load conditions, belt width, and material weight, and the optimal scheme shall be determined through professional structural calculations. Currently, the commonly used span range in the global industry is 18m-30m. This range can not only ensure structural stability but also control construction costs, making it the preferred choice for most projects.

When the span exceeds 30m, it is usually referred to as a long-span gallery. Its truss structure needs to adopt high-strength steel and require special wind resistance and seismic design, resulting in increased equipment weight and construction costs. ZOOMRY has completed a long-span truss project with a span of 80m, providing customized solutions for large-scale projects with complex terrain. However, from the perspective of economy and practicality, it is still recommended that customers optimize the path as much as possible during the project planning stage to avoid long-span design.

VII. Which Is More Suitable: Tunnel Gallery or Steel Structure Gallery?

• Cost aspect: The construction cost of tunnel galleries is relatively high, mainly due to the complex processes such as tunnel excavation, support, and lining, and it is greatly affected by surrounding rock properties, which may incur additional geological treatment costs; Steel structure galleries are constructed through factory prefabrication and on-site assembly, with more controllable costs, making them the preferred choice for most projects in plain and hilly areas worldwide;
• Construction period: The prefabrication production and on-site installation of steel structure galleries can be carried out in parallel, with a shorter construction period and less impact from weather; The construction period of tunnel galleries depends on geological conditions. If encountering hard rock formations or areas with abundant groundwater, additional processes such as support and drainage are required, leading to prolonged construction periods;
• Application scenarios: Tunnel galleries are suitable for complex terrain scenarios that require crossing mountains or buildings, which can effectively reduce damage to the surface environment; Steel structure galleries are suitable for flat terrain and moderate-span areas, with more convenient later maintenance.

In the early stage of the project, ZOOMRY will provide customers with detailed selection analysis reports, recommending the optimal gallery type based on factors such as project terrain, budget, and construction period to ensure the economy and practicality of the project.

VIII. Can Solar Panels Be Installed on Conveyor Galleries?

From a technical perspective, the top space of conveyor galleries is open, and most of them are north-south oriented (adjusted according to sunlight conditions in some regions), featuring good photovoltaic power generation conditions. The electrical energy generated by solar panels can be used for gallery lighting, equipment driving, etc., achieving energy self-sufficiency.

However, it should be noted that the installation of solar panels for long-distance linear projects needs to focus on investment return rate: The initial investment and later maintenance costs of solar panels, as well as local sunlight duration, electricity price policies, subsidy standards, etc., will all affect the economic benefits of the project. ZOOMRY recommends that customers conduct detailed feasibility analysis before making a decision, and formulate a reasonable solar panel installation plan based on the energy demand during the project life cycle to ensure the unity of economic and environmental value of the project.

IX. What Are the Types of Conveyor Gallery Foundations?

1. Raft-type reinforced concrete foundation: Suitable for areas with good geological conditions and sufficient bearing capacity. A raft is formed by reinforced concrete pouring to evenly transfer the load of the gallery truss to the foundation. It features strong stability and good durability, making it the foundation choice for most projects;
2. Pile foundation: When the geological conditions are poor (such as soft soil foundation, quicksand layer) or the foundation bearing capacity is insufficient, pile foundations are required to transfer the load to the deep stable soil layer. Pile foundations are mainly divided into precast piles and cast-in-place piles: Precast piles are constructed through factory prefabrication and on-site driving, with a shorter construction period; Cast-in-place piles are formed by on-site drilling and concrete pouring, suitable for complex geological conditions and scenarios with high pile length requirements.

X. How Is the Turning of Conveyors Achieved?

The turning function of belt conveyors is realized through specialized arc-shaped trough idlers, with the core technical principles as follows:

• The arc-shaped idler groups adopt an inner-side elevated design. By adjusting the height difference of the idler groups, the inward displacement force generated by the belt during turning is offset, ensuring the belt runs smoothly along the preset arc path;
• The installation angle of the idler groups is precisely calculated. Usually, the outer idlers are slightly higher than the inner idlers, forming a certain inclination angle to prevent belt deviation by utilizing the component force of material gravity;
• For large-angle turning or high-capacity conveying scenarios, automatic deviation correction idler groups are also equipped to real-time monitor the running position of the belt and adjust the idler angle through hydraulic or mechanical devices to ensure the belt always runs in the center position.

XI. How to Arrange Plow Dischargers in the Furnace Charging System of Iron and Steel Enterprises?

In the furnace charging scenario of iron and steel enterprises, one conveyor needs to deliver 4-5 types of materials to different silos. The core of accurate discharging lies in the scientific arrangement and program control of plow dischargers. ZOOMRY's customized solution is as follows:

• Discharger arrangement: According to the position distribution of silos, multiple plow dischargers are installed in the corresponding sections of the conveyor, with each discharger corresponding to one silo. Sufficient adjustment space shall be reserved for the installation position of the discharger to ensure accurate discharging angle;
• Program control: Through the PLC control system, the action sequence of the dischargers is set according to the material switching time. When one type of material is conveyed to the designated silo, the corresponding discharger automatically lowers to guide the material into the silo; after the material conveying is completed, the discharger automatically lifts, and the conveyor continues to convey the next type of material;
• Anti-spillage design: A certain length of empty space (usually 3-5m, adjusted according to conveying speed) shall be reserved between different materials to avoid material mixing and spillage during material switching. Meanwhile, a sealed chute is installed below the discharger to further prevent material dust emission and spillage.

FAQ Summary Table

As a professional global service provider in the bulk material handling field, ZOOMRY always adheres to international standards and provides a full range of products and customized solutions such as belt conveyors, mobile ship loaders, and truck unloaders, covering the entire life cycle services from equipment selection, design, production to installation and commissioning. If you have more technical questions or project needs, please consult ZOOMRY's global service team, and we will provide you with professional and efficient support.

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